My first time in Vegas…

…was this past weekend. Prior to this trip, people are usually surprised I’ve made it this far in life without visiting the city of sin. I suppose that’s because Vegas is like a rite of passage; it’s something everybody does at least once. Aside from the food, though, I had never found any of its offerings compelling, and there were always better places to travel to.

After experiencing Vegas for the first time, I can safely say that I didn’t miss out on much from not visiting all these years. The strip wasn’t particularly picturesque, there was a lot of walking, and there were a lot of people everywhere.

On the plus side, there were a plethora of food and entertainment possibilities; I wish I had time to hit up more restaurants and shows. Since I love magic I’m also glad I got last minute tickets to see David Copperfield (yes, he’s still very much alive — he’s 65). Next time I want to see Shin Lim, Cirque du Soleil, or another show I wouldn’t be able to see in the Bay Area.

Even though I wasn’t a fan of the city, I’m grateful Jason invited me to tag along so I could experience it for the first time. Plus he gets credit for my food highlights below:

• Sea Salt Sushi & Oyster: AYCE sushi ($34.99 for dinner) that’s surprisingly good quality. Toro and seared salmon nigiri were among the highlights. You can also choose to order a la carte if you want.
• Secret Pizza: it’s in an unmarked hallway at the Cosmo. It’s NY style pizza and was perfect for late eats.
• Eggslut: chain from LA known for their egg sandwiches. I got the namesake egg slut and would recommend the sandwiches instead.
• Magic Noodle: hand pulled noodles deliciousness (you can request extra – free – noodles but don’t do it). I liked the Lan Zhou noodle soup but the stir fried noodles with pork belly was also amazing.
• Shang Artisan Noodle: moaar hand pulled noodles. This was on par with Magic Noodle, but the wait is longer since the place is a bit smaller — pro tip: join the waitlist on Yelp.
• Tiabi Waffle: I loved the coffee and waffle options at this place. Highly recommend.

So yeah, I guess I’ll come back at some point. Who’s in?

(Also, thanks to friends who sent me recs — will have to try next time!)